CULTURAL IMPACT ON WOMEN EDUCATION IN SOME SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN AROCHUKWU L.G.A, ABIA STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. 1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Development is said to be the improvement in the lives of a people, place or thing. It is a phenomenon that people all over the world desire. Oyenoye and Benwari (2011) define development as growth and improvement in the standard of living economy and other institutions in the society. More than one variable come to play for development to take place. One of such variable is the population of the place. If the area in question is blessed with an active population, then the people will experience rapid development. A population is active when it has a small or manageable percentage of dependent people, such as aged and the children and a good percentage of active youth that can boast of a good education and skills. When we talk about active population we are referring to both able young men and women. Unfortunately, the latter group in this category are being marginalized which has made it almost impossible for them to contribute their quota to the development of their society this marginalization is a result of the women being hindered from getting a good education. Wehmier (2000) defined education as a process of teaching, training and learning to improve knowledge and develop skills. Ijah (2008) sees education as the key to unlocking the potentials of all individuals, communities and societies. This reveals that education enable people to take care of themselves, their families and control their future. Most importantly, it helps people to lift themselves from the shackles of poverty illiteracy, ignorance and diseases The benefits of education as posited by Oyinloye (2001) cited in Igwesi and Benwerrin (200) as: A weapon for bridge, ignorance, poverty and disease, a bridge, between confusion and comprehensive, a dam for conserving man’s store of civilization and for generating the power to move to greater civilization a rocket for transporting man from a state of intellectual subservience to a state of intellectual sovereignty. At this point a woman is an adult women person; a grown up women person, as distinguished from a man or a child, sometimes any women. The women part of the human race woman kind. Ikwuazo (1996) described the girl child as a member of the family and larger societies. She has equal number of bones and other organs, systems, tissues etc, as the boy; the only difference is the sex organ. It is the girl child that grows up to become a woman, a wife and a mother. The woman chances of contributing her own knowledge to the development of her father’s land is affected by her lack of formal education compared to that of the man. In the past the chances of a girl child gaining a formal education was near zero. Although the trend is changing, a lot still has to be done. Education for all (E.F.A) report (2003/2004) revealed education in Sub-Saharan Africa and even Asia was initially available only for males. The report remarked that it entails that women from the onset were disadvantaged in the formal employment sector since jobs in this sectors were mainly negotiable through acquisition of education and skills. The woman’s late entrance into education and the tailoring women education to meet domestic needs is not peculiar to Nigeria. The report went further to buttress this point by citing Avabs (2003) which says that even in Latin America where the expansion of educational system started earlier, women were denied formal education during colonialism but often received instructions to enable them perform domestic tasks and raise their children. The education of girls is a vital core message of family life/population education program in Nigeria (a programme that emphasizes equal opportunities in education).This concept emphasizes the importance of both genders in all aspects of societal development. Bellany (2003) asserts that there can be no significant or sustainable transformation of societies and no significant reduction in poverty until girls receive equal access to quality basic education. After all, societal development does not start with goods and things. It starts with people; their orientation, organization and self discipline. Researches (Bellany, 2003 UNICEF, 2000, Obanya, 2003) have shown that educating girls offers benefits for the girls themselves, the current and future families, and their communities. Education for girls means that as women they will be capable of exercising their rights to participate in political, economic and development efforts. Moreover, researches such as stated above have demonstrated that educated girls are more effective mothers. In other words, girl’s education has a strong impact on health, family, welfare and fertility rate. It is a potent population intervention strategy. World Bank (2007) showed that one additional year of women education reduces fertility by 5-10 percent. Educated women have also recorded a higher survival rate among their children, because they nourish their children better, observe heath practices and thus have healthier children. Ultimately, child mortality is reduced. A woman needs a good education to quip her skills to function effectively and contribute her quota in the society, if she has no good education she ends up as a baby making factory at home or as a cleaner. Some of the factors that hinder women education are traditional beliefs, family background, early marriages, physical environment and pregnancy.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Over the years women have be devalued in our society. In every facets of our society you find that there is gender inequality. This negative trend is very pronounced in the areas of education and employment. Researches (UNESCO 2002, UNICEF 2000) have indicated that issues of cost, culture, school environment and policy are variables leading to the exclusion of girls from benefiting from education. Gender disparity remains a problem. Male and women children not being given equal education opportunities. Similarly, there is inequality in the participation of women in the labour force and employment prospects compared to their male counterparts. Despite the various national and international declaration on women education and employment, some cultural factors still hinder the furtherance of women education and their right to gainful employment in Nigeria generally and Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State in particular. The problem of this study therefore is to find out those cultural variables that affect the education of women in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State.

Culture and  tradition  encourage  female  children  to  be  given out early  in  marriage  rather

than educating them?

Culture and  tradition  encourage  female  children  to  be  given out early  in  marriage  rather

than educating them?

Culture and  tradition  encourage  female  children  to  be  given out early  in  marriage  rather

than educating them?

Culture and  tradition  encourage  female  children  to  be  given out early  in  marriage  rather

than educating them?

1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to examine the cultural impact of women education in Nigeria.  Other general objectives of the study are:

1. To examine the extent to which family background affects women education.

2. To examine the influence of early marriage on women education

3. To examine the effects of culture and tradition on women education.

4. To examine the cultural beliefs militating against women education in Nigeria.

5. To examine the relationship between culture and women education.

6. To recommend ways of encouraging women education and literacy programmes in Nigeria.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the extent to which family background affects women education?

2. What is the influence of early marriage on women education?

3. What are the effects of culture and tradition on women education?

4. What are the cultural beliefs militating against women education in Nigeria?

5. What is the relationship between culture and women education?

6. What are the ways of encouraging women education and literacy programmes in Nigeria?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Hypothesis 1

H0: There is no impact of culture on women education

H1: There is a significant impact of culture on women education.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will enable the stakeholders in the area of education in Abia state to address the cultural impacts of women education. It is also hoped that the Arochukwu Local Education Authority (LEA) and Abia State Ministry of Education will find this work most useful in planning their educational budget so that the women of Arochukwu, LGA is put on the pedestal of equal and adequate educational opportunities for all citizens.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is based on the cultural impact on women education in some selected communities in Arochukwu L.G.A, Abia State.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Cultural: Relating to the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a society.

Impact: Is the measure of the tangible and intangible effects (consequences) of one thing's or entity's action or influence upon another.

Women: The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent. The term woman is also sometimes used to identify a female human, regardless of age, as in phrases such as "women's rights".

Education: The wealth of knowledge acquired by an individual after studying particular subject matters or experiencing life lessons that provide an understanding of something. Education requires instruction of some sort from an individual or composed literature.